Biosimilars | Current Treatment | Nephrology | US/EU | 2018
Although ESA biosimilars entered the European market a decade ago, their uptake varies from country to country, as well as by drug and manufacturer. While European nephrologists have been able to prescribe ESA biosimilars to their CKD patients for several years, the first ESA biosimilar, Retacrit, was approved in the United States only recently. With Retacrit launching soon in the United States, and with new biosimilars expected to soon enter all markets, it is vital to understand why ESA biosimilar uptake varies in Europe and how it might impact upcoming biosimilar launches in the United States and Europe. We surveyed nephrologists from France, Germany, and the United States to learn about their experience, familiarity with, and attitudes toward current biosimilars; the drivers and barriers to biosimilars’ uptake; and their expectations for novel biosimilars.
